The present invention relates to portable, insulated, carrying devices useful for storing, conveying and serving food and beverages, and more specifically to insulated, soft-sided, tote-bag coolers.
Simple, portable, hard-walled coolers formed of metal or plastic and designed solely to maintain food and beverages at low temperatures are well known in the art. For example, hard-sided, insulated containers, such as coolers and jugs, are manufactured in a variety of shapes and sizes by The Coleman Company of Wichita, Kans. Lightweight, soft-sided coolers that serve similar functions are also known in the art, a variety of which are also manufactured by The Coleman Company.
It would be desirable that lightweight, soft-sided coolers serve additional functions as well as, such as cooling food and beverage containers while allowing for fast and easy retrieval. A tote-bag cooler having an insulated chamber accessible by a self-sealing, sleeve-style aperture would permit fast and easy retrieval of the chamber""s contents. Additionally, a tote-bag cooler modified by a beverage holder could securely hold a beverage receptacle for ready pouring or consumption of a beverage. Such coolers would make more convenient the conveyance of food, beverages, and utensils to outdoor events such as beach outings, barbecues, picnics and football games, and at the same time would provide convenient, one-handed access to the food and beverage containers.
Another desirable feature is the ability to secure such a cooler to the seat of a car, van or truck to during transport of the cooler. Secured placement of the cooler in a vehicle may reduce the risk of spillage or overturning of the cooler""s contents during routine driving maneuvers.
It therefore would be advantageous to design an insulated bag as a soft-sided cooler in which food and beverages may be cooled, but which also could facilitate easy access and retrieval of the food and beverages without opening one of the zippered chambers. Such a multi-functional tote-bag cooler could facilitate consumption of the food and beverages by the user.
The present invention relates to portable, insulated, carrying devices useful for storing, conveying and serving food and beverages, and more specifically to insulated, soft-sided, tote-bag coolers. A tote-bag cooler may store, convey and serve food and beverages.
A tote-bag cooler may include, for example, handle straps, a closeable handle grip, and a multi-chambered, closeable container having an insulated, soft-sided inner surface and a rugged-fabric, flexible outer surface construction. The tote-bag cooler may be constructed in part, for example, of an insulating material and a liner shaped to fit the interior so as to form one or more storage chambers.
The multi-chambered, closeable container may include opposing side chambers separated by two interior walls delimiting a center chamber. The opposing side chambers may include a vertical sidewall sealed to a bottom side and enclosed by lids having zipper enclosures. The center chamber may include vertical interior walls sealed to the bottom side and enclosed by overlapping flaps extending inward from the-lids, creating a self-sealing, sleeve-style aperture.
A tote-bag cooler may be carried by hand or shoulder. Handle straps may allow for ease of conveyance by hand, while the use of a shoulder strap may free the user""s hands for other purposes. The handle straps may be attached to the sides of the container, forming two loops along the length of the container. The two loops of the handle straps may meet above the center of the container when the two loops of the handle straps are grasped to carry the container. The handle grip may be attached to the mid-section of one of the handle straps and may be wrapped around the opposing handle strap when grasping the handle straps.
A tote-bag cooler may be designed to facilitate easy access to beverage containers. In addition to easy access to a beverage container within the center chamber via the sleeve-style aperture, another embodiment of the present invention may provide a hinged beverage holder for fast access to beverage receptacles. A beverage holder may be secured to the outer surface of the tote-bag cooler.
A tote-bag cooler also may be designed to hold small items in a convenient manner. Such a tote-bag cooler therefore may include, for example, mesh that may be fixedly secured to the outer surface of the tote-bag cooler. Small items may be held between the mesh and the outer surface of the cooler. A fabric pocket having a secure closure may be included as well to hold small, more valuable items, like keys. Additionally, small or narrow items also may be placed in open gaps formed by folds in strap supports that support the handle and shoulder straps. Gaps arise where the strap supports may be intermittently attached to the outer surface of the sidewall.
A tote-bag cooler also may be designed so as to reduce cooler movement during transport in an automotive vehicle. To that end, a tote-bag cooler also may include a seat belt strap for securing the cooler to a vehicle seat. Such an embodiment may include, for example, a tether portion which may be secured to the outer surface of a sidewall or the bottom side of the cooler, and which when held by a seat belt may maintain the cooler securely on the vehicle seat.